


Duty

by leukoplakiaa



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu | Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War
Genre: Chapter 5 Spoilers, Gen, Second POV
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-03
Updated: 2020-05-03
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:42:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23976175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leukoplakiaa/pseuds/leukoplakiaa
Summary: POV: you are the soldier responsible for returning Deirdre to Belhalla
Comments: 2
Kudos: 13





	Duty

You are a soldier. You make enough money to feed yourself, your wife, and her unwed sister. They work as domestics in a merchant's home, and you are a sage. You do your job with pride, you do your job with such pride it is not a job, and your wife's face is not bone-thin.

You're having twins, the midwife tells you. She waves her staff over your wife's stomach, golden light filling the small space you call a living room in a vain attempt to feel like more. Twins, she tells you, both boys. Your wife is not surprised; twins run in her family, so it seems her sister will not be going anywhere any time soon.

You are estatic. Your heart is filled with pride for your wife, but there is a dread. Feeding three mouths is one thing, but you know, before you know it, it will be five. Your wife's income will dwindled, saddled by infants, and it will be your tome that keeps the candles burning.

You are a father, a sage, a soldier. You do not question your orders.

You carefully escort Princess Deirdre out of Belhalla. Lord Velthomer unnerves you, even if you serve him, and you do not want to risk reprimand. You have a family.

Hanging behind Princess Deirdre, you see the rebels lined up. Your fellows surround them, horses ready to chase down the stragglers. You do not know what Lord Velthomer intends with the Princess, but you know better to ask.

"This is...Sir Sigurd?" Princess Deirdre breaks you out of your thoughts. Her voice twists with such pain you snap to attention, assuming she's been struck. Physically, she is fine, but she repeats Sigurd with the confusion of a child.

"Deirdre! This can't be!"

She flinches from the yelling, and you step forward. "Why-Why are you speaking to me like that?" she asks, again, her voice quaking. You look to her, your temporary charge, and her eyes brew with knowing. Something tries to flicker in.

Sigurd does not give up. "Deirdre! It is you!" His horse throws his head, and your hand flicks your tome open. He is dead, anyway.

"Do you...know me?" Her voice cannot hold itself, and the shaking of her voice leaks into her shoulders. Her brow furrows.

"Of course I do! You're my-"

"Enough!" Lord Velthomer interrupts the traitor's last efforts. "Deirdre, please take a step back. This man in dangerous. He is guilty of treason and is to be punished."

Princess Deirdre does not immediately act. The world seems to stand still. You think of your wife, as you often do. "But...this person. Please, just a little more time," she pleads, and you wonder just how much of her can shake.

Lord Velthomer is gentler with her this time. "I don't think so. Quick! Escort the princess away from here."

And that is you. You are the princess's guard for the time being. "Come, Princess Deirdre." You reach for her shoulder, and she shrugs you off with more strength than her form implies.

"Wait! Arvis, please. Just a little longer..." Lord Velthomer does not issue a new order. You feel magic ripe in the air, and she must too, eyes wild and flicking between Lord Velthomer and Sigurd.

Pay is in three days. Your wife has been eying the handcrafted bassinets, rich hickory decorated with bear carvings. "Princess Deirdre," you say again, and you grab her carefully. There will be hell if you mark her.

She struggles, she fights. She breaks out of your grasp, a soft broken, "Sigurd?" past her lips once more. You've heard this pain before, but flames begin to flicker. Your sons will need shoes.

"Come, Princess," you say, and she lets you drag her this time, eyes locked on the procession until you round the corner.

There is a shake to her that does not stop, and you lead her through the gates of Belhalla. You are a solider. 

**Author's Note:**

> i was thinking about the battle of belhalla in the shower (like you do) and how cool it is that deirdre's sprite does the back and forth when she's being led back, like aideen (or whatever she's been localized to these days) does in the prologue.


End file.
